DES MOINES – Gov. Terry E. Branstad last week extended a disaster declaration allowing for more propane transport during harvest in Iowa. The extension is 7 days, through Nov. 14.
According to the declaration, the extension was placed because of the late harvest and high demand for petroleum products throughout the Midwest, the people of the State of Iowa are faced with extremely low supplies of propane, and adequate supplies of propane are necessary to continue normal agricultural harvesting and to provide residential heating to citizens, particularly those in rural portions of the state; and the effects of this propane shortage are being felt throughout the State of Iowa; and the limited suspension of certain hours of service regulations for drivers of commercial motor vehicles transporting propane in our state will increase the amount of propane transported throughout the State of Iowa, thereby reducing the damaging effects of this shortage.